Why Hungary?
The area of Hungary is barely 100,000 km2. Their language is spoken nowhere else. Their folk songs bear no resemblance to those of other nations. Yet, the Hungarian people have been living in the centre of Europe for over 1,100 years. Despite frequent tragic upheavals which spared nothing and nobody, the country boasts a heritage that attracts people from far and wide. Citing the city's unparalleled panorama, UNESCO declared Budapest, Hungary's capital, 'the Pearl of the Danube', a World Heritage site. After Iceland, Hungary has the world's largest reserve of surface thermal water: hundreds of springs help thousands in recovering. Lake Balaton, Central Europe's largest lake, is a favourite get-away for families with young children, fans of yachting and lovers of the beach. We have collected for you in this brochure a variety of things that can be seen and enjoyed in Hungary. Have a delightful time travelling and exploring the country and many unforgettable experiences in the heart of Europe!
About Hungary
Area: 93 030 km2
Population: 10 197 119 inhabitants
Capital city: Budapest (population: 1 775 203 persons, territory: 525 km2)
Official language: Hungarian
Type of administration: Republic
Time zone: Central European (GMT+1)
Summer season: From the last weekend in March to the last weekend in October + 1 hour (GMT+2)
Public administration: 19 counties, 23 county capitals
Currency: Forint (Ft, HUF)
Electricity: 230V, 50Hz
Lenght of border: 2 246 km
Number of neighbour countries: 7
Number of foreign tourists visiting Hungary annually: 31 141 000 persons
Religions: Roman catholic, Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Judaism etc.
Weather and climate
The climate of the country is temperate continental. The coldest month is January. The hottest month is July. The number of sunny hours a year: 2038 hrs. Nationwide Weather Forecast www.weatherinhungary.com
Information on Visa and Frontier Crossing
Hungary joined the European Union on the 1st May 2004. Since then Hungary shall implement the common visa policy in its everyday practic. According to the European visa policy: National identity card is needed for entry into Hungary for citizens of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finnland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Passport is required for entering Hungary for citizens from Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden. Border crossing controll within the EU remains as it was before (Schengen rules) in case of Sweden and the new EU member states (Hungary and Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) until they become members of Schengen area in 2008. For the travel of children they need either their own passport or their own ID card or in the lack of them they need to be registered in one of their parents' passport.
Health Issues
Immunisation is not a requirement for entering Hungary. Tourists are permitted to bring medication for personal use. Medication prescribed abroad can be purchased in pharmacies at full market price. Only a limited selection of over-the-counter drugs are available in Hungary. Emergency and ambulance services are free of charge in cases requiring immediate medical attention. All other medical treatment is regulated by international treaties. Ambulance telephone no.: 104 Health insurance policies taken out abroad cover the cost of the first, and only the first treatment in Hungary. In all other cases, the cost of medical treatment must be settled at the rate set by the medical institution. The institution determines which credit cards are accepted for this purpose.